Franck's Pharmacy closes its doors

After checking the door, customers Margarita Bruno and her daughter Latisha Fullard look inside after Franck's Pharmacy closed on Southwest 17th Street on Tuesday. A note on the door said prescriptions had been moved to other pharmacies.

Alan Youngblood/Star-Banner

By Carlos E. MedinaCorrespondent

Published: Tuesday, July 31, 2012 at 11:05 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, July 31, 2012 at 11:05 a.m.

The retail location of Franck's Pharmacy closed its doors Tuesday, bringing an end to Paul Franck's connection with his namesake operations.

In July, Franck's Compounding Lab, one of the largest compounding labs in the country, was bought by Wells Pharmacy Network of Wellington. The lab includes both veterinary and human compounding operations. The deal included Franck's Lifestyles, which sells supplements and wellness products, but did not include the retail pharmacy location at 202 SW 17th St.

There was speculation that Franck's was set to close, but no one from the company responded to numerous requests for comment in the days leading up to the closing.

The moves come in the wake of news that the company produced two eye preparations blamed for at least 33 cases of fungal eye infections earlier this year.

Customers who came to the pharmacy on Tuesday were greeted by a sign announcing the closure and directing clients to the Walgreens off Southeast 17th Street and South Magnolia Avenue.

A Walgreens spokesman from corporate headquarters in Deerfield, Ill., confirmed that the company had purchased Franck's customer list and inventory. No price was disclosed.

"I worked with them through Interfaith. We heard they were closed so we came down to try and find out more," said Barbara Cathey. "It's a shame. It's going to hurt a lot of people."

Karla Grimsley, executive director of Interfaith Emergency Services, which offers an emergency prescription service among its other services, said Franck's was one of her agency's biggest supporters.

"I am sorry to see they are going out of business. They have been a big part of us. They have been wonderful to work with and helped us stretch our dollars," Grimsley said.

Grimsley said she found out about the closing along with everyone else on Tuesday. The pharmacy would often deeply discount medications for the group's clients.

"I know they were taking a loss. It's really been an act of charity on their part," she said, adding that Interfaith also works with Bitting's Pharmacy and Sunshine Drugs locally to help with the prescription program.

Some who showed up at the Franck's location on Tuesday were upset they had no advance news of the impending closure.

"It's not right, but what can I say about it? I don't know why they closed," said one woman who did not want to give her name.

The sign in front of the store, which a few days earlier announced an event on Tuesday, thanked customers for their 29 years of patronage.

A woman wearing a Walgreens shirt spoke with many of those who came to the door. She directed customers to the nearby Walgreens.

"My wife worked here. Right now I have nothing to say," said another man who was visibly upset.

Moments earlier, the man spoke with another who came out of the pharmacy dressed in medical scrubs. He asked why the location was closed.

"They decided to close. I don't have any other details," said the man in scrubs.

Representatives from RIGIS, an inventory company, were seen in the pharmacy, presumably taking stock of the inventory.

Walgreens spokesman Robert Elfinger said Franck's pharmacist Don Weber will now work at the Walgreen's at 17th and Magnolia.

"We saw this as a good opportunity to serve more patients and customers in the area of Ocala. We have patients' files, along with Don, to (achieve) a seamless transition for patients," Elfinger said.

The building where the pharmacy was located is owned by Franck's 1 LLC, of which Paul Franck is the registered agent. The building was purchased in 2007 for just more than $1 million, according to Marion County property records.

In May, after news broke of the fungal eye infections, Franck's Compounding Lab announced it would stop producing sterile compounds and laid off several employees. Tests found the preparations, which are injected into the eye during procedures, were contaminated with bacteria. Many of those infected lost vision and needed follow-up surgery. Later tests showed microorganisms and fungal growth in the supposed sterile area of the lab.

After Wells purchased the compounding lab, the sterile operations were started again and some of the eliminated positions were brought back, according to a company spokesman.

The eye preparation case was the second time Franck's faced claims of improper compounding.

In 2009, Franck's veterinary division improperly mixed a nutritional supplement for 21 polo horses that contained far more selenium than required. The horses all died.

The company grew out of a pharmacy that Franck and two other pharmacists started in 1983 in Reddick.

<p>The retail location of Franck's Pharmacy closed its doors Tuesday, bringing an end to Paul Franck's connection with his namesake operations.</p><p>In July, Franck's Compounding Lab, one of the largest compounding labs in the country, was bought by Wells Pharmacy Network of Wellington. The lab includes both veterinary and human compounding operations. The deal included Franck's Lifestyles, which sells supplements and wellness products, but did not include the retail pharmacy location at 202 SW 17th St.</p><p>There was speculation that Franck's was set to close, but no one from the company responded to numerous requests for comment in the days leading up to the closing.</p><p>The moves come in the wake of news that the company produced two eye preparations blamed for at least 33 cases of fungal eye infections earlier this year.</p><p>Customers who came to the pharmacy on Tuesday were greeted by a sign announcing the closure and directing clients to the Walgreens off Southeast 17th Street and South Magnolia Avenue.</p><p>A Walgreens spokesman from corporate headquarters in Deerfield, Ill., confirmed that the company had purchased Franck's customer list and inventory. No price was disclosed.</p><p>"I worked with them through Interfaith. We heard they were closed so we came down to try and find out more," said Barbara Cathey. "It's a shame. It's going to hurt a lot of people."</p><p>Karla Grimsley, executive director of Interfaith Emergency Services, which offers an emergency prescription service among its other services, said Franck's was one of her agency's biggest supporters.</p><p>"I am sorry to see they are going out of business. They have been a big part of us. They have been wonderful to work with and helped us stretch our dollars," Grimsley said.</p><p>Grimsley said she found out about the closing along with everyone else on Tuesday. The pharmacy would often deeply discount medications for the group's clients.</p><p>"I know they were taking a loss. It's really been an act of charity on their part," she said, adding that Interfaith also works with Bitting's Pharmacy and Sunshine Drugs locally to help with the prescription program.</p><p>Some who showed up at the Franck's location on Tuesday were upset they had no advance news of the impending closure.</p><p>"It's not right, but what can I say about it? I don't know why they closed," said one woman who did not want to give her name.</p><p>The sign in front of the store, which a few days earlier announced an event on Tuesday, thanked customers for their 29 years of patronage.</p><p>A woman wearing a Walgreens shirt spoke with many of those who came to the door. She directed customers to the nearby Walgreens.</p><p>"My wife worked here. Right now I have nothing to say," said another man who was visibly upset.</p><p>Moments earlier, the man spoke with another who came out of the pharmacy dressed in medical scrubs. He asked why the location was closed.</p><p>"They decided to close. I don't have any other details," said the man in scrubs.</p><p>Representatives from RIGIS, an inventory company, were seen in the pharmacy, presumably taking stock of the inventory.</p><p>Walgreens spokesman Robert Elfinger said Franck's pharmacist Don Weber will now work at the Walgreen's at 17th and Magnolia.</p><p>"We saw this as a good opportunity to serve more patients and customers in the area of Ocala. We have patients' files, along with Don, to (achieve) a seamless transition for patients," Elfinger said.</p><p>The building where the pharmacy was located is owned by Franck's 1 LLC, of which Paul Franck is the registered agent. The building was purchased in 2007 for just more than $1 million, according to Marion County property records.</p><p>In May, after news broke of the fungal eye infections, Franck's Compounding Lab announced it would stop producing sterile compounds and laid off several employees. Tests found the preparations, which are injected into the eye during procedures, were contaminated with bacteria. Many of those infected lost vision and needed follow-up surgery. Later tests showed microorganisms and fungal growth in the supposed sterile area of the lab.</p><p>After Wells purchased the compounding lab, the sterile operations were started again and some of the eliminated positions were brought back, according to a company spokesman.</p><p>The eye preparation case was the second time Franck's faced claims of improper compounding.</p><p>In 2009, Franck's veterinary division improperly mixed a nutritional supplement for 21 polo horses that contained far more selenium than required. The horses all died.</p><p>The company grew out of a pharmacy that Franck and two other pharmacists started in 1983 in Reddick.</p>